Last week, Josh Meyer of the Los Angeles Times reported: ( www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-security26jun26,1,4141790.story )
>> "The 2003 executive order addressed a system of safeguards for government agencies aimed at ensuring that classified national security information is properly handled so it doesn't fall into the wrong hands, that improper leaks of such information are investigated promptly, and that government secrets are properly declassified at the appropriate time.
>> "The Information Security Oversight Office, an agency within the federal National Archives and Records Administration, is in charge of the effort, with broad authorities that include inspections of government agencies to make sure that they are in compliance.
>> "The president's and vice president's offices handle some of the most highly classified national security information.
>> "The controversy flared up last week when Waxman criticized Cheney for rebuffing the agency's oversight efforts, saying his office's refusal to file annual reports on how much information it was classifying and declassifying had created a potential national security risk.
>> "Waxman also released letters showing that Cheney's office had blocked efforts by the oversight agency's director, J. William Leonard, to inspect the vice president's office in 2003."
In addition, in 2005 similar attempts to monitor the offices of Bush's advisors in the West Wing were blocked. Meyer writes:
>> "The security officers reported that after an initial meeting, a senior White House official intervened and instructed the White House Security Office to block any inspection of the West Wing. The security officers expressed shock that the Information Security Oversight Office was not permitted to conduct an inspection."
The story gets even more strange and scary. A few days later, Cheney, speaking for himself and Bush, claimed that he was not part of the Executive Branch ( http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1371 ) and thus did not have to obey Bush's Executive Order and neither did Bush. They were exempting themselves from any monitoring of their handling of classified information. In effect, devoid of oversight by anyone, Cheney had established a Fourth Branch of government, beholden to no one and accountable to no one. This puts our country's national security -- and our Constitution -- at risk.
But Cheney, presumably knowing Bush would not object, went even further. He attempted to get the office in the National Archives responsible for classification oversight -- which Bush's Executive Order had set up -- abolished. This would have put the national security of this country at risk.
Now Bush has chosen to ignore subpoenas from Congress for information vital to the Legislative oversight of Bush Administration programs. He asserts "executive privilege" when it's clear that he's hiding something likely criminal in nature. The courts may have to sort out the legal issues, with no guarantee of resolution anytime soon.
THE DANGERS OF SECRECY
As many Washington observers have pointed out, the M.O. from the establishment of the CheneyBush Administration in 2001 until now has been to concentrate all power and all accountability in their own hands. The Legislative Branch had to be dealt with, to be sure, but the idea was to keep them more in an advisory role, never having any real say-so in how the Executive Branch carries out its activities. (Bush operates under the cockamamie theory that as "commander-in-chief" during "wartime," he can do whatever he wants, and ignore whatever laws he wants.) The Judicial Branch has been warned many times to stay out of Executive Branch matters.
The ramifications of such secrecy and paranoia are frightening. Writes former Republican and D.C. insider John W. Dean, author of "Worse Than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush": ( www.crisispapers.org/essays/watergate.htm )
>> "Their secrecy is extreme -- not merely unjustified and excessive but obsessive...It has given us a presidency that operates on hidden agendas. To protect their secrets, Bush and Cheney dissemble as a matter of policy...Cheney openly declares that he wants to turn the clock back to the pre-Watergate years -- a time of an unaccountable and extraconstitutional imperial presidency. To say that their secret presidency is undemocratic is an understatement....Cheney formed what is, in effect, a shadow NSC [National Security Council]...It is a secret government -- beyond the reach of Congress, and everyone else as well..."
"Worse Than Watergate" was written in 2004; things have gotten even worse in the past three years, to the point where Dean in his most recent book, "Conservatives Without Conscience," writes that under Cheney and Bush, the country is perilously close to a kind of American fascism:
Bernard Weiner, Ph.D. in government & international relations, has taught at universities in California and Washington, worked for two decades as a writer-editor at the San Francisco Chronicle, and currently serves as co-editor of The Crisis Papers (www.crisispapers.org).
You are right, perhaps this might be an area where Congress could agree and impeach Bush. Still, I would be surprised if the Democrats proceed with impeachment. I believe the Democrats are afraid of Bush and Cheney. Before the Anthrax scare on the Democrats in Congress, their were Democrats that did not want the Patriot Act, the Antrax was sent to the Democrats, they voted for the Patriot Act. The Democrats in Congress, I believe are afraid and this is why they will not proceed to impeach Bush.
by
Diane_B (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 26 comments)
on Saturday, July 7, 2007 at 4:49:18 PM
How do we get this information to the general public? The media whores are in lock step with these criminals. My family and I spend hours every day emailing, calling, signing petitions and writing letters to bring these facts to as many people as we can but will that be enough?
Please tell me if you have any other ideas to inform people about the state of this administration.
by
Caronome (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 221 comments)
on Sunday, July 8, 2007 at 10:04:43 AM
You may be right about Congress being afraid of the Bush crime family. But it's their job to impeach when the situation is this dire. If Dennis Kucinich has the courage (balls) to introduce his bill for impeachment surely some of these big, strong big mouths in Congress can at least sign on to it.
by
Caronome (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 221 comments)
on Sunday, July 8, 2007 at 10:11:11 AM
4 comments
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